Polanco's blast powers Virtual Pirates over Cards



I will be serving as general manager/manager of the Pirates in a 2020 season simulation along with 29 others using Out Of The Park Baseball. Feel free to check here for daily updates. I realize baseball is a lot less important than what is going on in the world today but perhaps it can provide a diversion for a few moments.


PITTSBURGH – Gregory Polanco has struggled through the first quarter of the season, but he provided a big blow Tuesday night.

Polanco belted a three-run home run to help power the Virtual Pirates to a 6-4 victory over the Virtual St. Louis Cardinals at Virtual PNC Park.

The homer off Carlos Martinez (2-6) extended the Virtual Buccos’ lead to 6-2. That was enough to improve the Pirates’ record to 20-21 with their fourth win in five games.

It was Polanco’s seventh home run of the season. However, his batting average is just .199.

Mitch Keller (2-3) allowed two runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings for the win. He had four strikeouts and no walks while throwing 101 pitches.

Kyle Crick struck out the side in a scoreless ninth inning to protect a 6-4 lead and notch his first save.

Elias Diaz had three hits for the Pirates and Kevin Newman added two.

Keller gave up a solo home run to Paul Goldschmidt in the first inning then settled down.

Dexter Fowler’s two-run homer off Edgar Santana in the seventh inning cut the Pirates’ lead to 6-4. However, Santana bounced back and got Tommy Edman to ground into a double play with runners on first and second to end the eighth.

In roster news, the Virtual Philadelphia Phillies claimed JT Riddle off waivers. He had recently been designed for assignment.

The temperature was 59 degrees at first time with the wind blowing out to center field at a stiff 19 mph. Attendance was 33,517 and time of the game was a plodding three hours, 34 minutes.

Bench coach Craig Wilson was in a particularly buoyant mood following the game, telling the Virtual Corsairs that the victory is the beginning of a winning streak.

The rubber game of the three-game series is set for Wednesday with Steven Brault (1-0, 0.00) pitching against Dakota Hudson (3-2, 4.41).




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